Collapsible hood or canopy for vehicles.



J. G. KEIL & W. B. ALLEN.

OOLLAPSIBLE HOOD 0R CANOPY FOR VBHIGLES.

APPLICATION IILBD SEPT.18, 1909.

960,388. Patented June 7,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

JOHN C. KEIL AND WALKER B. ALLEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GOLLAPSIBLE HOOD OR CANOPY FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed September 18, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN C. KEIL and WALKER B. ALLEN, both citizens of the United States, residing at St. Louis, issouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Hoods or Canopies for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to removable hoods or canopies for vehicles.

The main object of our invention is to provide a hood or canopy for the drivers seat of a coup or closed carriage which can be removed and folded up compactly.

Another object of our invention is to provide a device of the character described which presents a neat and ornamental appearance when in use.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view illustrating our improved hood or canopy arranged in operative position on the drivers seat of a coup or closed carriage; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the frame with the outer covering removed; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of said frame; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the frame showing the top members of the frame partially folded; Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the frame with the top members of the frame partially folded or in the position shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a rear elevational View of the frame after it has been com-.

pletely folded; Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the clamps that are employed for retaining the canopy in operative position; and Fig. 8 is a detail View illustrating one of the L- shaped devices that form a connection between some of the top members of the frame.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of our invention, A designates a coup or closed carriage provided with a drivers seat 1 and a dash 2. Our improved canopy or hood consists of a frame composed of a plurality of members pivotally connected together in such a manner that they can be folded up compactly, and a flexible outer covering carried by said frame. In the construction herein shown the top part of the frame consists of three members or bars 3, 4 and 5, that extend transversely of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 1. The ends of these members are connected together by four pairs of links 6, two pairs Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 7, 1910.

Serial No. 518,372.

being arranged between the members 3 and 4, and two pairs being arranged between the members 4 and 5. The links of each pair have their inner ends pivotally connected together, preferably by rule-joints 7, and the opposite ends of said links are connected to devices which are preferably connected to the cross members 3, 4 and 5 by rule-joints.

The devices 8 which form the connections between the links 6 and the cross members 3 and 5, are substantially L-shaped, as shown in Fig. 8, and the devices 9 which form the connections between the links and the intermediate cross member 4 are substantially T- shaped, as shown in Fig. 2. The object of connecting the top members of the frame together by links 6 and the devices 8 and 9 is to enable the top portion of the frame to be closed or folded into the position shown in Fig. 4 so that the cross members 3, 4 and 5 will lie close to each other, the links 6 being adapted to be thereafter folded inwardly onto the cross members, as indicated by the arrows at in Fig. 5.

The sides of the frame consist of standards or vertically disposed members 3 4 and 5 which are pivotally connected by rule-joints 10 to the cross members 3, 4 and 5, respectively, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 8, so as to enable said standards to be folded inwardly underneath the cross members 3, 4 and 5, as indicated by the arrows 3 in F ig. 5. The standards or side members of the frame are provided at their lower ends with clamps which engage the dash 2 and some portion of the seat frame of the vehicle so as to retain the canopy in operative position. e have herein illustrated the side standards as being provided with clamps each of which consists of a stationary member 11 connected to the lower end of the standard, and a movable member 12 which is adapted to be drawn toward the stationary member by means of a wing nut- 13 on a bolt 14 that passes through said parts, as shown in Fig. 7, the stationary member 11 being provided with a guide 15 that passes through an opening in the movable member 12 of the clamp. It will be obvious, however, that various other clamping devices could be used for connecting the frame to the vehicle and therefore we do not wish it to be understood that our invention is limited to the exact construction herein shown.

The outer covering of the canopy preferably consists of a top piece B of some waterproof flexible material that is connected to the top members of the frame, and curtains C connected to the vertical standards so as to form the side, front and rear walls, said curtains being preferably provided with pieces of mica 16 or other suitable transparent material.

A canopy or hood of the construction above described protects the driver of the vehicle, and in fair weather the canopy can be lifted bodily off the vehicle, folded up and placed in the compartment D located between the body of the vehicle and the drivers seat 1. When it is desired to fold up the canopy the curtains C, which form the side, front and rear walls of the canopy are first removed and the links 6 are pressed upwardly or folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4 so as to bring the cross members 3, 4L and 5 close together. Said links are thereafter folded downwardly onto said cross members, and the side standards are then folded inwardly underneath said cross members, the curtains or side pieces G being preferably wrapped around the members of the frame after they have been folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. I

The canopy is small enough, whenfolded, to be placed in the compartment or pocket D at the rear of the seat 1 so that it is always within easy reach of the driver, it presents a neat and ornamental appearance when in use, and as it is of very simple construction it can be manufactured cheaply and can be set up or arranged in operative position quickly.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A detachable hood or canopy for vehicles provided with a frame which consists of a plurality of top members arranged parallel to each other, collapsible braces arranged transversely between adjacent top members, pivotally mounted devices on said top members to which said braces are connected, and side members which fold inwardly upon said top members.

2. A detachable hood or canopy for vehicles having a frame which consists of a plurality of top members arranged parallel to each other, pivotally mounted devices on said members which can be folded over same, jointed braces arranged between said top members and pivotally connected to said devices, side standards pivotally connected to said top members in such a manner that they can be folded parallel to same, an outer covering consisting of a piece of flexible material connected to said top members, and flexible side pieces detachably connected to said standards. j V

3. A detachable hood or canopy for Vehicles having a frame comprising top members that extend arallel to each other, devices arranged ad jacent to the ends of said top members and connected thereto by rulejoints, pairs of links arranged between said top members and pivotally connected to said devices in such a manner that they can be folded inwardly .upon said top. members, and side standards connected to said top members by means of rule-joints.

4. A detachable hood or canopy that is adapted to be used on the drivers seat of a coup or closed carriage, said canopy having a frame which consists of a plurality of top members arranged parallel to each other, pairs of jointed braces arranged between adjacent top members, ivotally mounted devices on the ends of said top members to which said braces are pivotally connected, 7

side standards pivotally connected. to said top members by rule-joints which permit said standards to be folded longitudinally of said top members, and means carried by said side standards for detachably connecting same to the dash and to the seat frame of the vehicle so as tocretain the canopy in position.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto our signatures, in the presencev of two wit 7 nesses, this 16th day of September, 19-09.-

WVitnesses .WELLS L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

